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. 2026 Aug 22;24:1222. doi: 10.1186/s12967-026-08824-5

Table 1.

Characteristics of participants included in the present study

Group
Variable HCN = 731 FMN = 441 MEN = 711 p-value2 Pairwise (BH adj.)3
Age 40.6 ± 12.9 39.4 ± 11.5 44.2 ± 10.6 0.046

HC vs FM: p = 0.751; HC vs ME: p = 0.044;

FM vs ME: p = 0.027
BMI 23.7 ± 3.4 24.8 ± 3.5 24.4 ± 4.1 0.2

HC vs FM: p = 0.059; HC vs ME: p = 0.423;

FM vs ME: p = 0.359
Symptoms duration (months) 0 ± 0 92.7 ± 75.5 92.5 ± 85 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 6.62e-22; HC vs ME: p = 1.03e-25;

FM vs ME: p = 0.644

SF-36

Physical component

 336.5 ± 48.3 138.7 ± 58.9 128.0 ± 52.5 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 3.12e-18; HC vs ME: p = 7.51e-24;

FM vs ME: p = 0.22

SF-36

Mental component

 288.9 ± 74.4 162.6 ± 66.8 204.1 ± 72.1 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 3.89e-12; HC vs ME: p = 1.68e-09;

FM vs ME: p = 0.001

SF-36

Pain

 78.9 ± 14.5 33.3 ± 18.5 41.9 ± 18.7 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 1.12e-17; HC vs ME: p = 2.16e-18;

FM vs ME: p = 0.144
WPI 2.0 ± 1.9 11.9 ± 4.1 8.7 ± 4.5 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 5.27e-19; HC vs ME: p = 5.04e-17;

FM vs ME: p = 0.0005
SSS 4.6 ± 1.7 8.5 ± 1.9 9.2 ± 1.5 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 4.63e-15; HC vs ME: p = 4.13e-22;

FM vs ME: p = 0.067
PCS 6.5 ± 7.0 21.6 ± 11.5 15.6 ± 9.8 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 8.15e-12; HC vs ME: p = 4.42e-09;

FM vs ME: p = 0.005
CSI 23.3 ± 11.9 62.7 ± 12.5 57.4 ± 12.3 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 2.27e-18; HC vs ME: p = 1.78e-22;

FM vs ME: p = 0.047
BAI 24.2 ± 3.2 38.6 ± 9.6 38.0 ± 9.0 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 2.18e-13; HC vs ME: p = 4.2e-19;

FM vs ME: p = 0.769
IPAQ 2,505 ± 2,827 3,762 ± 5,545 1,651 ± 1,993 0.002

HC vs FM: p = 0.145; HC vs ME: p = 0.018;

FM vs ME: p = 0.0009
CSL 6.3 ± 10.0 48.1 ± 19.3 48.6 ± 16.4 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 2.15e-17; HC vs ME: p = 4.98e-23;

FM vs ME: p = 0.899
DSQ 33.3 ± 28.8 208.5 ± 99.4 223.5 ± 95.0 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 1.78e-18; HC vs ME: p = 2.38e-24;

FM vs ME: p = 0.404
PEM −0.9 ± 0.3 0.3 ± 0.8 0.7 ± 0.9 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 3.75e-17; HC vs ME: p = 1.76e-23;

FM vs ME: p = 0.007
Cognitive −0.8 ± 0.2 0.2 ± 0.8 0.6 ± 1.0 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 3.26e-14; HC vs ME: p = 3.79e-21;

FM vs ME: p = 0.031
Visceral −0.6 ± 0.3 0.5 ± 1.0 0.2 ± 1.1 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 5.8e-13; HC vs ME: p = 2.85e-08;

FM vs ME: p = 0.051
Sleep −0.6 ± 0.3 0.5 ± 1.1 0.3 ± 0.9 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 4.23e-12; HC vs ME: p = 1.24e-13;

FM vs ME: p = 0.47
Autonomic −0.6 ± 0.2 0.5 ± 1.0 0.3 ± 1.0 <0.001

HC vs FM: p = 4.89e-15; HC vs ME: p = 1.52e-12;

FM vs ME: p = 0.158
Systemic 0.0 ± 0.2 −0.2 ± 1.0 0.2 ± 1.2 0.004

HC vs FM: p = 0.000112; HC vs ME: p = 0.56;

FM vs ME: p = 0.034

1 Mean ± SD; n. 2 Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test; Fisher’s exact test. 3 Benjamini–Hochberg correction for post-hoc tests. Abbreviations: BAI, Beck Anxiety Index; BH, Benjamini–Hochberg; BMI, Body Mass Index; Central Sensitisation Inventory; CSL, Chronic fatigue syndrome Symptoms List; DSQ, DePaul Symptom Questionnaire; FM, Fibromyalgia; HC, Healthy Controls; IPAQ, International Physical Activity Questionnaire; ME, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis; PCS, Pain Catastrophising Scale; PEM, post-Exertional Malaise; SSS, Symptom Severity Scale; WPI, Widespread Pain Index